The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-05-12
TO TENNESSEE AFOOT.

~ 4lANANAAOJ110 AIOO4s
A PEDESTRIAN TOUR THROUGH
NORTH-WESTERN CAROLINA.
Entertaining Description Of a Portion
of Our State About Which Little Has
Heretofore Been Written.
For the Sentinel.
BIZ PROF. L. B. wURREsCHKE.
PAPER NO. ".
Right from our porch we had
nice, moderate sized mountain not far
before US. AS it seemed to be covered
mostly with pasture land, it looked as
if we would have fine view from its
top. So, as it was not yet time for
supper, we started on side trip up
that mountain, which proved steep
ascent enough. However, we at last
reached the top, and were well re-
warded. First, the strong blowing,
cool mountain air, then the view, un-
obstructed almost all round on very
sea of hills and mountains all over
| Allegheny and Ashe county. The
mountain on which we were is called
Reynolds's Knob. OF course there
was no road or path to the top, still
we were told that it is sometimes Wis
ited, though | don't think any one
whom we got to know had ever done
so. We returned in time for supper,
to which we did, as very often on our
journey, all the more justice, because
we had had no dinner. The spring
near this boarding house made great
impression on me it was literally cut
into the solid rock, the water coming
forth cold as ice out of a square
hole in the bottom of bowl of gran
ite. We later on saw similar springs
among those mougtains this was one
/ of the finest. To US lowlanders-
they call all those coming from below
the Blue Ridge-all these mountain
country experiences were highly inter
esting and enjoyable; they who always
live here are little conscious of their
special privileges, but would miss
them immensely if they were deprived
of them. For that reason the love OF
home and its necessary counterpart
home-sickness ON absence from home
ARE in nobody stronger than in
mountain people, as we knew from the
Scotch Highlanders and the Swiss who
dare not hear their home melodies in
i strange land without danger Of un
governable home-sickness.
It was near 10 the next morning
when we started from Sparta, going
westward. We crossed the head
waters of the Little River in a lonely
mountain wilderness of woods. Here
my son caught a good-sized turtle
which, however, as we were not quite
able to manage it, we had to let go
to enjoy its native liberty. For Ions
stretches we had the richest and mos
beautiful pastures along the mountain
Z slopes to our sides; then again fol
miles the road led through the grandes
natural park of tall trees, the laure
bushes beginning to play a prominen
part among the underground.
We had to cross the range of th'
Peachbottem mountains extending
:, square across our path. We did cross
: by one of the loveliest passes, or, a
e they are here called, gaps, which W
!; had ever seen-a gap from the top 0
e which a perfectly new view opene'
into a new mountain world beyond
We occasionally met some cattle ol
the road they all looked so clean an'
healthy that the whole atmospher
round them seemed 10 be stepped an,
scented with fresh life and health a
they had passed. We got milk at tw
different places during the day; eac
e time it was excellent. At the hous
where we stopped last the man, thoug
I only ~ years old, was quite lame
I and had been so for II years, fror
paralysis. There were little childre
!, to be provided for too. So we Sc
here, as we did at a good many othe
:, places besides, that misfortune, tria
$ bereavement, and all that loss, whic
1 is sent in order that we may not low
P this world too much, dwell even i
: these parts, where the air and sky ar
: SO constantly pure and lovely.
Before we came to Laurel Spring
: we were overtaken by a smart thun
der shower. An empty school hous
perhaps the parsonage-near beat
tiful church in the woods, afforded
welcome shelter. Soon after passin
5 Laurel Springs, consisting of but fe'
d houses, with two large stores, we eros.
!, ed the county line between Alleghan
a and Ashe county. Cranberry Cree
s had next to be crossed it is a larg
8 and deep, very clear creek, fowin
northward into the New River Ne
River itself is nothing else but th
Great Kanawha, which empties int
Ohio River and then at last is cor
f veyed out by the great father of riy